Apparatus for saving power by using location information and method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus and method of saving power using location information, which can control power consumption of a mobile terminal in a sparse cell environment is provided. The power saving apparatus using location information comprises a transceiver for receiving a location information set from a base station having the stored location information set, a controller for receiving the location information set from the transceiver, and activating any one of a plurality of modes by using the location information set, where each of the plurality of modes utilizes a different power consumption level.

1. A power saving apparatus using location information, the apparatus comprising:
 a transceiver for receiving a location information set from a base station, the base station storing the location information set; and 
 a controller for determining a location of the power saving apparatus and generating self-location information based on the determined location, comparing the self-location information to the received location information set, and activating any one of a plurality of modes based on the comparing, each of the plurality of modes utilizing a different power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       2. The power saving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modes comprises a sleep mode and an active mode. 
     
     
       3. The power saving apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller comprises:
 a location measurement unit for determining the location of the power saving apparatus and generating self-location information by using the determined location; and 
 a mode adjustment unit for receiving the self-location information from the location measurement unit and activating any one of the sleep mode and the active mode based on the self-location information and base station coverage information of the location information set. 
 
     
     
       4. The power saving apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the location measurement unit determines the location of the power saving apparatus using a Global Positioning System (GPS) function. 
     
     
       5. The power saving apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the location measurement unit acquires triangulation determination data by using at least two base stations, and determines the location of the power saving apparatus according to the acquired triangulation determination data. 
     
     
       6. The power saving apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mode adjustment unit activates the active mode when a coverage radius according to the base station coverage information is greater than a distance from the power saving apparatus to a base station corresponding to the base station coverage information. 
     
     
       7. The power saving apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mode adjustment unit activates the sleep mode when a coverage radius according to the base station coverage information is less than or equal to a distance from the power saving apparatus to a base station corresponding to the base station coverage information. 
     
     
       8. The power saving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location information set comprises base station location information about a location of each of at least one base station, and the base station coverage information about a coverage of each of the at least one base station. 
     
     
       9. The power saving apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mode adjustment unit identifies a second base station nearest to the power saving apparatus by using the self-location information and the base station location information of the location information set. 
     
     
       10. The power saving apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the mode adjustment unit activates the active mode when a distance between the power saving apparatus and the second base station is less than a coverage radius according to base station coverage information of the second base station. 
     
     
       11. The power saving apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the mode adjustment unit activates the sleep mode when a distance between the power saving apparatus and the second base station is greater than or equal to a coverage radius according to base station coverage information of the second base station. 
     
     
       12. The power saving apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a storage unit for storing a previous location information set, 
 wherein the controller receives the previous location information set from the storage unit, and activates any one of a plurality of modes by using the previous location information set, each of the plurality of modes utilizing a different power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       13. The power saving apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a storage unit for storing a previous location information set, 
 wherein the controller further comprises: 
 a version management unit for comparing version information of the location information set with version information of the previous location information set stored in the storage unit, and updating the previous location information set to the location information set when a version of the previous location information set corresponds to an old version as a result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       14. The power saving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location information set includes information indicating whether the base station is a picocell, a microcell, or a macrocell. 
     
     
       15. A method of saving power in a power saving apparatus using location information, the method comprising:
 determining a location of the power saving apparatus and generating self-location information based on the determined location; 
 receiving a location information set from a base station; 
 comparing the self-location information to the received location information set; and 
 activating any one of a plurality of modes based on the comparing, each of the plurality of modes utilizing a different power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of modes comprises a sleep mode and an active mode. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the activating further comprises:
 activating any one of the sleep mode and the active mode based on the self-location information and base station coverage information of the location information set. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the determining comprises:
 determining the location of the power saving apparatus by using a GPS function. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the determining comprises:
 acquiring triangulation determination data by using at least two base stations; and 
 determining the location of the power saving apparatus according to the acquired triangulation determination data. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the activating comprises:
 activating the active mode when a coverage radius according to the base station coverage information is greater than a distance from the power saving apparatus to a base station corresponding to the base station coverage information. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the activating comprises:
 activating the sleep mode when a coverage radius according to the base station coverage information is less than or equal to a distance from the power saving apparatus to a base station corresponding to the base station coverage information. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the location information set comprises base station location information about a location of each of at least one base station, and the base station coverage information about a coverage of each of the at least one base station. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the activating comprises:
 identifying a second base station nearest to the power saving apparatus by using the self-location information and the base station location information of the location information set. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the activating comprises:
 activating the active mode when a distance between the power saving apparatus and the second base station is less than a coverage radius according to base station coverage information of the second base station. 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the activating comprises:
 activating the sleep mode when a distance between the power saving apparatus and the second base station is greater than or equal to a coverage radius according to base station coverage information of the second base station. 
 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the activating comprises:
 storing a previous location information set; and 
 activating any one of a plurality of modes by using the previous location information set, each of the plurality of modes utilizing a different power consumption level. 
 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the activating further comprises:
 storing a previous location information set; 
 comparing version information of the location information set with version information of the previous location information set stored in the storage unit; and 
 updating the previous location information set to the location information set when a version of the previous location information set corresponds to an old version as a result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       28. A method of a base station, the method comprising:
 storing a first location information set which comprises base station location information about a location of each of at least one base station, and base station coverage information about a coverage of each of the at least one base station; 
 receiving a second location information set from a mobile terminal; 
 comparing the first location information set with the second location information set; and 
 transmitting the first location information set to the mobile terminal when the first location information set corresponds to a newer location information set in comparison to the second location information set. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 transmitting a changed first location information set to another base station when the stored first location information set is changed. 
 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 joining a predetermined multicast address; 
 receiving a packet which has the multicast address as a destination address and comprises a third location information set; and 
 updating the stored first location information set to the third location information set. 
 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving a packet from another base station, the packet comprising a third location information set; and 
 comparing the stored first location information set with the third location information set and updating the stored first location information set to the third location information set when the third location information set corresponds to a newer location information set in comparison to the first location information set. 
 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first location information set includes information indicating whether the at least one base station is a picocell, a microcell, or a macrocell. 
     
     
       33. A computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a base station to implement a method, the method comprising:
 a first set of instructions for storing a first location information set which comprises base station location information about a location of each of at least one base station, and base station coverage information about a coverage of each of the at least one base station; 
 a second set of instructions for receiving a second location information set from a mobile terminal; 
 a third set of instructions for comparing the first location information set with the second location information set; and 
 a fourth set of instructions for transmitting the first location information set to the mobile terminal when the first location information set corresponds to a newer location information set in comparison to the second location information set. 
 
     
     
       34. The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 a fifth set of instructions for transmitting a changed first location information set to another base station when the stored first location information set is changed. 
 
     
     
       35. The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 a sixth set of instructions for joining a predetermined multicast address; 
 a seventh set of instructions for receiving a packet which has the multicast address as a destination address and comprises a third location information set; and 
 an eighth set of instructions for updating the stored first location information set to the third location information set. 
 
     
     
       36. The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 a ninth set of instructions for receiving a packet from another base station, the packet comprising a third location information set; and 
 a tenth set of instructions for comparing the stored first location information with the third location information set and updating the stored first location information set to the third location information set when the third location information set corresponds to a newer location information set in comparison to the first location information set.